Living the good life in Stapleton, or anywhere, can come at a cost. With the high average home price, many Stapletonians have high level, high stress jobs, or have two working parents. On top of that, the average household has 2.8 children, and many of those kids are under the age of six. Plus the pressure for the Stapleton women. Finally, with your neighbors right on top of you, there is enormous pressure to keep up with the Jones’s.
“The types of stress that residents in Stapleton endure are typically greater than your average Denver resident,” says University of Colorado Psychologist Dr. Greg Halsor. “The close proximity to neighbors and homogeneity of the community creates an ultra-competitive environment which would cause almost anyone to crack.” The MCA realizes this issue, and decided they needed to act before people hit their breaking points.
“We know a lot of residents are already on anti-depressants,” said MCA President Liza Kampstra. “The stigma is pretty much gone when it comes to taking pills, so why not make it easier to get them?” Kampstra and her team at the MCA decided that they could be helpful by placing various brands of anti-depressants in vending machines at various pocket parks and pools throughout the community.
In partnership with Prescott Pharmaceuticals, the MCA plans to role out 12 vending machines by the end of May. Residents may purchase the drugs using a credit card only, so that Prescott and the MCA can monitor and make sure no one is buying too much. “We obviously want to do this in the safest way possible,” said Kampstra. “The idea is too keep people happy. We can’t afford unhappy people here in Stapleton. It’s just not good for business.” This summer, expect Stapleton to be even happier and less stressed out.
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